The oppressive heat that stuck around Milwaukee during much of Summerfest's run had a financial impact on attendance, revenue and vendor sales, according to Don Smiley, Summerfest's president and CEO.

Fewer people attended, and they consumed less at music fest

The oppressive heat that stuck around Milwaukee during much of Summerfest's run had a financial impact on attendance, revenue and vendor sales, according to Don Smiley, Summerfest's president and CEO. »Read Full Article

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karpsta, what a joke! So the price of $16 a ticket to see a ton of local and national bands is too much? Not to mention, you can get advance tickets almost anywhere for $12 and a slew of free tickets are available as well. If you can't go out somewhere for $12, then you don't ever go out period. There's literally almost nothing you can do. The prices are insanely low and an ultimate bargain. I'd recommend working a minimum wage job one day a week.

The Summerfest bigwigs should also seriously consider spending some cash to replace those archaic video screens inside the Amphitheater. (Finding the money shouldn't be an issue, what with all the facility/convienience/etc. fees added to the cost of the ticket.)

Although my issue with the screens would be less of an issue if I could somehow get the opportunity to purchase seats in the first 3 (red) sections. Unfortunately, those tickets are usually off-limits to the average joe like me looking to get decent seats to see their favorite bands! But I digress...

I bought tickets in the red sections for 5 of the Marcus shows this year (3 of them were in center section 2). All were purchased on the general on sale date (no early presale or fan club) with no special "tricks". The tickets are available. You just can't be a lazy hayseed like yourself.

Yeah, the Marcus Amphitheater is antiquated. I've been in a lot of similar venues that are far better. That includes the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Illinois (apparently it's now called the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatere). Marcus looks like a poorly designed relic of the 80s.

Since you have not missed Summerfest in "about 15 years" please give me an example or two of the acts\musicians that WERE worth an hour of driving plus $100. This is not being snarly or rude, I amjust curious what drew you the other 15 years that wasn't there this year.

I'm glad to see that people were heeding what the experts said. We all read about people getting heat sick at Summerfest - had more people gone, it would've been a lot worse. It is too bad the "CBTL" effect didn't help this year. I haven't been to Summerfest in about 6 years, mostly because of the prices, too - and I don't really miss the watered-down $10 martinis, either.

Why does everyone act like Bo was so much greater than Smiley and the current management? Look, I get that Bo was a pioneering figure who established many Summerfest traditions, etc. And she was a likeable personality. But let's be real. Tickets for Summerfest are like $15 AT MOST for a ton of entertainment value. That's a bargain you won't get anywhere else in the country. There's a massive wealth of diverse music--700 bands--so there has to be something you enjoy. In the past several years, many new stages have been built to prevent crowding, video screens have been added to most stages so you can actually see the bands, and nicer bathroom amenities have been built.

If you didn't go because of the heat, that's understandable. If you didn't go because of the lack of interesting headliners, you can blame mainstream music for continual artistic decline. But don't blame the current management for the supposed "demise" of Summerfest. The event itself is as a good as it ever was. Check that, better than it ever was. So stop making up nonsense and perpetuating the "Bo knows best" myth.

stopped going two years ago. at 16 dollars a ticket 6.50 for a beer (5.50 cup) 3.00 bottle water. impossible to spend less than 60 dollars for a a hand full of drinks and a few waters, heaven forbid you have a family to feed there. 65 dollars just to enter for a family of 4. to walk around in a sea of drunks and punks. but hey, to each their own.

While this might not be an option for everyone, I go only during the free admission times.

There are plenty of bubblers on the grounds, so the purchasing of water isn't needed.

If you go at noon on children's day, many of the food booths have at least one reduced-priced item until 3pm. Also, if you go earlier in the day, there really aren't any drunks/punks there. They seem to arrive later.

I don't know how you could possibly say that. The musical selection ran the spectrum form multiple grammy nominees and winners to national indy acts to local and national emerging artists...I just don't get how anybody can say it SUCKED

Speaking of the watered down martinis - the cups get smaller every year while the prices stay the same or get higher.

You cant even get a "full" cup of beer for FIVE DOLLARS !! The bartenders mention some state law that requires them to fill to a line way below the top. Im not saying the cups have to be over flowing but AT LEAST GIVE THE PUBLIC A FULL CUP OF BEER FOR 5 DOLLARS - HOW MUCH MONEY DO THESE FRICKING BEER COMPANIES and SUMMERFEST NEED TO MAKE ???

THEY know people will spend the money anyway at the "sacred" Summerfest - its getting to be more and more like RIP-OFF fest - Im not a cheap person but cmon man - lets be fair here -